Go Fish
by ladykarinsky
Summary: Cece And Nick share some alone time in the cabin hashing out their love lives over a game of cards as they await the return of their companions.


The embers in the fireplace were fading, so Nick knelt forward and poked at them. _Where the hell were they?_ It had been nearly an hour ago that Jess and Schmidt had left for the store to buy food and wood, leaving Nick and Cece to fend for themselves. Sitting back against the sofa, he looked towards the window. The sun was quickly going down, and the air was getting a bit too cold for his taste. Nick hated being cold – one of the few things he didn't miss about Chicago.

He could hear Cece on the couch behind him, shuffling deeper into the corner. Nick and Cece had never spent much time together, and that had never been as awkwardly displayed as it was now. They should have a lot to talk about, seeing as how they are dating each others best friends. As it turns out, a model and a bartender don't move in the same circles. In an attempt to alleviate some of the tension, he suggested a game of cards.

"What should we play?" Cece asked.

"Well, take your pick. I know most of the standards, you know, Twenty-One, Blackjack, Go Fish. Or there's your more exotic fare, Speed, Bullshit.

"Go Fish."

"Really? Alright, but I'm gonna warn you, I'm pretty awesome at it."

"You have no chance. I used to play this with my grandmother everyday after school, so."

"Alright then."

Watching Nick shuffle the cards, Cece began to relax a bit. He dealt them and she began organizing her hand, being meticulous about their placement.

"What are you doing?" Nick asked.

"Uh-uh, trade secret. Keep your eyes on your own cards!"

Putting his hand up in surrender, he too looked through his cards and they began to play. After a few minutes, the awkwardness seemed to have lifted enough for Cece to feel more talkative.

"So..." she began, "things between you and Jess seem to be going good."

Glancing up from his cards, Nick responded. "Yeah, seems they are." He didn't want to say too much, fully aware it would probably get back to Jess. Looking back down at his hand, he didn't really see what was in front of him as he began to daydream. Things had been going well, great even. It had only been a month, but they had eased into it pretty easily. "I'm kind of surprised actually."

_Did I say that out loud? _he thought.

"Why?" Cece asked.

_Yup_. "You know, just... stuff." There, maybe she'd drop it.

"Like what?"

He could see her dark eyes held an unusual look in them. It wasn't the normal shielded look she normally had, but more of an open curiosity. Besides, it might be nice to talk to someone who wasn't going to end the conversation by telling him to "just crush it."

"Well," he started, "usually by now I'd be waist deep in crazy conspiracy mode, dissecting every conversation, every action or non-action, in my head. I don't know, it's just been really easy." Taking another card from the deck, he continued. It's never been this easy and I'm kinda freaking out about it, you know? Waiting for the other shoe to drop. You got a Jack?"

Cece tilted her head, looking at her cards. Damn. "Yeah." Handing it over, she mulled his words.

_Waiting for the other shoe to drop. _That three weeks after the wedding had been like that. Schmidt only took a couple days to decide, and in the end, he chose Elizabeth. Cece was angry and heartbroken, but mostly just regretful. But less than a week had gone by before She and Schmidt fell into bed together, and again, and again. Until Elizabeth found them. And the hurt she saw in Elizabeth's eyes was dwarfed by the guilt she saw in Schmidt's. Cece had become the other woman. Jess let her know it, too:

"_You remember what it was like when I found Spencer _

_with that woman! You are her, Cece! You are her and Elizabeth is me. How could you?"_

When Elizabeth broke up with Schmidt, it seemed like everything would go back to normal. But it wasn't like before. There was a resistance in him to open up, and she knew that was her fault. She had put him through an emotional roller coaster and she didn't blame him. This weekend at the cabin had been her idea. Maybe if they got away from the loft, away from everything that had happened, she could begin to fix this. She'd never thought she'd envy Nick, but right now she'd give anything for "easy".

"Maybe it's supposed to be easy." she said. "Sometimes we make it too hard, when if we just sit back and let it do what it wants, it will just work. Eight?"

Nick grinned. "Nope." He paused. "You heard from Shivrang?" He had actually kinda like Shivrang, and felt bad about how everything went down. And for crushing his wedding arch.

Cece sighed. "He texted, said he wanted to stay in touch, but it's weird, right? To be friends with him?"

Nick shrugged. "Four?" Cece shook her head. "I mean, you guys went through a lot though. You planned a wedding together. Next to like, having kids, that's the most stressful thing people do. Wait, scratch that. Wedding, audit, then ki – wait no, buying a car, wedding, audit, kids."

"Ugh, it's still not over. Three?" Smiling as she watched him hand over his cards, she continued. "I still have to write cards to relatives, but I can't figure out if I should write _thank you for coming_ or _sorry for the wasted trip_."

Nick considered this. "You know plenty of shady people, can't you just change your name and go into hiding?" he joked.

Cece smiled. "That won't help me with Schmidt. I don't think he's forgiven me. I think I really hurt him."

"Yeah, you did." She was somewhat taken aback by his bluntness, but it also felt strangely comforting. "But I've known Schmidt a long, long ..." he sighed, "long time. He'll come around. Besides, if Schmidt has one weakness, it's you. And gingham."

She looked at him with a furrowed brow as his frown took over his face.

"Did I just say 'gingham'?"

"Yes you did." she said with a smirk. She paused, watching him shake his head. "I envy you and Jess."

He looked at her with surprise, but said nothing. So she went on. " You guys are just going for it, all in. I can't take a risk like that."

He shrugged and smiled. "Yeah, well, I didn't think I could either. But when you love someone, it's simple." He smiled to himself, remembering the first time he heard those words. Jess had told him she would be there for him, and as he stood in that bathroom listening to her plead with him not to make a mistake, he wanted to believe her. But she had been right, about everything, and it was clear the moment he looked into Caroline's eyes that last time. Instead of seeing the simplicity of love that Jess had promised, he saw a past Nick that he didn't want to go back to, wrought with pain and complication. Laughing softly to himself, he realized how happy he was Jess had kept her word. "Don't tell her I said so, but Jess is always right."

Cece smirked. "Tell me something I don't know." Looking at him as he played with his cards, she smiled. "Love, huh?"

He didn't look up, but chuckled. "Shut up, whatever."

Suddenly, the door opened and a rush of cold air whooshed through the cabin. Jess had her hands full with two large paper grocery bags. Nick sprang to his feet and going to her, took them from her, receiving a warm smile as a reward. He placed them on the counter and watched as Schmidt followed behind.

"I'm so sorry you guys, we were on our way back when someone had to go back to the store for cinnamon." She said, out of breath.

"I wouldn't have had to go back if you knew what you were doing, which obviously you don't." Schmidt stated haughtily.

"Jeez, Schmidt, I didn't know, OK? She exclaimed, obviously in the middle of yet another food debate. Nick sighed and grabbed a beer from the bag.

"How could you not, it's only the most important ingredient, next to the apples! Nick! Did you know your girlfriend uses nutmeg instead of cinnamon in her apple pie?" Schmidt huffed angrily, rifling through the bags.

"I like nutmeg better!" she protested.

"No one likes nutmeg better. Anyway, if you're gonna use something other than cinnamon, at least have some balls and _BAM_! use pumpkin pie spice."

"Did you just reference Emeril?" She asked, her nose scrunching up. "What is this, 2005?"

"Emeril is still totally relevant!"

"No, he's not." She said.

"Yes he is! Just, whatever." Taking a large bouquet out of a bag, he headed towards the living room, leaving Nick and Jess in the kitchen. Looking at her, with her dark hair disheveled from the hood of her coat, eyes closed in exasperation from arguing with Schmidt, he realized just how simple it really was. Grabbing hold of her waist, Nick pulled her close for a kiss, slowly deepening it until pulling back to see she still had her eyes closed. "Hey you," she said seductively, "what was that for?"

Dropping his hands down to hers, he said "I was just thinking about something you said once."

"Mmm, well remind me what it was so I be sure to repeat it."

"Nah, I'll keep that one for myself." He smiled. As he led her towards the living room by the shoulder, she stopped at the doorway abruptly, with Nick almost falling into her.

"Jess?" he asked.

She nudged him in the rib, and nodded towards the fireplace. Cece had the bouquet in her hands, with her arms wrapped around Schmidts neck.

"What do you say we take a walk in the woods?" he said.

Cece looked out the window. "Really? It's getting pretty dark - "

"No, I meant the enchanted grove surrounding your Hindu Temple."

"Ew" Jess whispered, while Nick went full turtle face.

Cece rolled her eyes and took his hand. "We'll be back in a bit." She called over her shoulder.

Leading him up the stairs, she gave a quick glance back at Nick. He tipped his beer to her and smiled, and she continued up, lightly squeezing Schmidt's hand.

_They're gonna be fine_ he thought.

Because it's simple.


End file.
